W hen a patient suffers with chronic signs and symptoms that

do not resolve despite what is considered “appropriate” medical treatment, doctors may begin to question the

patient’s reliability and motives rather than question

their own diagnosis and treatment practices.

At the same time, it is not uncommon for a patient to have self-doubt, and along with their family and friends, begin to ques-tion if a true medical condition exists. This leads the patient to feeling invalidated and withdrawn. Soon after suffering through this the patient becomes easily coaxed into believing their problems are

in their mind, not their body. To make matters worse, after their doctor has exhausted his skills and patience, he will refer to a specialist who has a handful of predetermined “tricks up his sleeve” to resolve you of your symptoms. Often, he too misses the boat and misdiagnoses the patient as having “Fibromyalgia”, “CFIDS”, “Lyme” or some other convenient “diagno-sis of the month”. Now, the patient is given a label on their forehead of “DEPRESSION” not only because other diagnoses don’t fit or respond to the “usual and customary” thera-pies but because it is neither socially nor medically acceptable to call you a NUTJOB!

Although depression may sometimes be a true and accurate diagnosis, it is far too often brought on by the inadequacies of the healthcare professionals - myself included! Personally and profession-ally, I do not see how anyone who is “normal” could not fulfill the criteria for depression or BE DE-PRESSED after going through this unhappy medical mystery tour. Af-ter months or even years of feeling lousy, friends and family become unsupportive and doctors instruct their staff not to mention the pa-tient’s name in front of them. This may sound extreme, but it is real - I know. I once was one of those doc-tors! Fortunately, after years of feel-ing helpless and hopeless, I turned

to Complementary and Alternative Medicine and found a better way to help and treat my patients - not just their symptoms.

If you or someone you know is experiencing this kind of frustrat-

ing health problem, this message is for you. Friends, this is key for maintaining your sanity: The depression that you are experiencing is probably the only ac-curate diagnosis that your doctor has made regarding your ongoing, chronic, unaddressed, unresolved symptoms. Yes, you are hearing me correctly. You are depressed and should be!!! BUT…your depres-sion is a result of the longstanding unresolved symptoms rather than

the cause of them, and this is why anti-depressants don’t work. If you are not chemically depressed, these drugs are of no value and often will cause harm.

ICAM’s Women’s Health Initiative Program was created to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment specifically suited to a woman’s needs. The program addresses health issues such as Menopause, PMS and other Hor-monal Imbalances such as Adrenal Dysfunction and Thyroid disease. One of the main reasons for the creation of this program is because these issues are frequently misdiag-nosed as: Chronic Fatigue, Epstein Barr, Lyme, Fibromyalgia and De-pression by conventional medical practitioners. When this occurs, a patient is left to trudge on through life; unsatisfied, unaware, untreated,

and invalidated because the true underlying medical pathology is never found or treated effectively. The Women’s Health Initiative Pro-gram also stresses (often neglected) healthcare issues that need to be addressed such as cardiovascular health and prevention, lifestyle change, and nutrition since they are paramount for optimal health.

Giving a proper evaluation and diagnosis of the patient, which carefully considers and treats the patient’s “whole self ” is what the Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is all about. Come see us when you are ready to feel your best again.Remember…. If you ignore your health, it will Leave You.

Be Well. Yours in Health,Mark James Bartiss, MD

Medical Professionals

The County Woman Magazine 10 May/June 2010

Submitted By:Mark James Bartiss, M.D.Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Women’s Health Initiative Program: Treating Patients ‘Whole Self’

Dr. Bartiss is a medical writer, lecturer and author and has keen interest in Women’s Health issues. Whether you are feeling ill or think you are well, Dr. Bartiss offers therapies that will keep you healthy and set back your biologic (aging) clock ten to fifteen years. Hundreds of patients have already utilized his services and have found internal peace with their newly gained health and youth. You too can recapture this dream and live a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life with minimal effort by following his protocols.

For those interested in inquiring about lectures for your group/ organization, or for information about ICAM and Dr. Bartiss, contact our office, or visit our website: www.icambartissmd.com

ICAMInstitute For Complementary & Alternative

MedicineMark James Bartiss, MD

24 Nautilus Drive, Suite 5 • Manahawkin, NJ 08050 • 609-978-9002504 Hamburg Tpk, Suite 205 • Wayne, NJ 07470 • 973-790-6363

Welcomes you to his Alternative Medical practice, specializing in the following:

www.icambartissmd.com

• Alzheimer’s/ Memory Disorder

• Coronary Artery Disease/ Stress

• Fibromyalgia• Anti-Aging Medicine• Preventive Medicine

• Hypothyroidism/ Endocrine Disorders

• Vitamin and Herbal Therapies

• IV Therapies• Bio-Identical Hormone

Replacement Therapy

These are common

symptoms shared by many

diagnoses (note plural here).

Because of this overlap it is often

hard to find a single entity

causing these symptoms in conventional

medicines cookbook

medicine texts. By focusing on

the cause and not the symptom

complex, Alternative

Medicine doc-tors can resolve your symptoms

through treating the underlying

problem(s) rather than using a

bandaid.

Unresolved symptom CheCklist Fatigue Abnormal throat sensations Headaches Sweating abnormalities Migraines Heat and/or cold intolerance PMS Low self esteem Irritability Irregular periods Fluid retention Severe menstrual cramps Anxiety Low blood pressure Panic attacks Frequent colds and sore throats Hair loss Frequent urinary infections Depression Light headedness Decreased memory Ringing in the ears Decreased concentration Slow wound healing Decreased sex drive Easy bruising Unhealthy nails Acid indigestion Low motivation Flushing Constipation Frequent yeast infections Irritable Bowel Syndrome Cold hands/feet, turn blue? Inappropriate weight gain Poor coordination Dry skin Inhibited sexual development Dry hair Infertility Insomnia Hypoglycemia Falling asleep uncontrollably during day Increased skin infections/Acne Arthritis and joint aches Abnormal swallowing sensations Allergies Changes in skin pigmentation Asthma Prematurely gray/white hair Muscular aches Excessively tired after eating Itchiness Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Elevated Cholesterol Dry eyes/blurred vision Ulcers Hives Increased nicotine, caffeine use Bad breath